Musical instrument



Jan. 12, 1960 H. DE ARMOND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 25, 1956ELECTRON lC PICK UP 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I 3 N INV TOR. Harry De Armand H.DE ARMOND MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Jan. 12, 1960 Filed Jan. 25, 1956 3Sheets-Sheet 2 8 00 INVENTOR N BY Harry 0e rmam/ ATTaR/VEY Jan. 12, 19605 ARMOND I 2,920,522

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. 25, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I :W [WI SPONGERUBBER 76 INVEN TOR.

Harry 0:? Armand BY i g United States Patent MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Harry DeArmond, Toledo, Ohio Application January 25, 1956, Serial No. 561,225

5 Claims. c1. 84-1.16)

This invention comprises a musical instrument involving certainfundamental features wherein an object of the invention is to providesuch an instrument in which a single string operates in conjunction withan electric pick up device adapted to be connected to an amplifier toproduce the notes of several octaves of the musical scale by said singlestring using a striking mechanism,.

the striking element of which causes both the vibration of the stringfor producing the musical notes picked up and determines the length ofthe string so vibrated and consequently the pitch of the note. Moreover,my invention eliminates the need of a sounding board or box.

Further objects of this invention include the means whereby one stringis properly divided to produce the various notes as indicated and thespecial mechanism for striking the same, the arrangement forming acombined striker and fret forming device.

Another object of this invention resides in the particular constructionof the striking element itself, its connection with the keys as well asthe mounting of the striking mechanisms according to the chromatic scalewhereby the player of the instrument may readily operate the same as inthe ordinary case of a piano keyboard.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide aspecial surface of the striker compared with its arc of movement toobtain a clear, sharp contact to properly vibrate the string and avoid arubbing or sliding effect in contacting the string by the striker. I

Moreover, this instrument may be provided with means to produce avibrato effect.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of this invention,such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the relatedelements of the structure, to various details of construction and tocombinations of parts, elements per se, and to economics of manufactureand numerous other features, as will be apparent from a consideration ofthe specification and drawing of a form of the invention, which may bepreferred, in which:

Figure I is a top plan view of-one embodiment of my invention withcertain parts thereof broken away;

Figure II is a perspective view of the complete instrument, at a reducedscale;

Figure III is an enlarged section taken on the line III-III of Figure I;v

Figure IV is a partial plan view of the striking mechanism;

Figure V is a perspective elevation of one of the striking elements; I

Figure V1 is a section taken on the line VI-VI of Figure III;

Figure VII is an enlarged section taken on the line VIIIVIII of FigureIII;

Figure VIII is an enlarged sectional on the line VIII-VIII of Figure I;

Figure IX is an enlarged plan view of one end of the instrument showingthe vibrato mechanism;

elevation taken 2,920,522 Patented Jan. 12, 1960 '12 which may bedetachable to facilitate carrying the instrument.

Adjacent each end of the base board 11, I provide upright supportingbracket members 14 and 15 adapted to rigidly carry a longitudinaltensioning or stretch bar 16 above which is stretched a single steelstring or wire 18, the same being secured taut to said brackets 14 and15 above said bar 16 by suitable adjusting and tensioning means as inguitars and pianos and hereinafter more fully described.

A standard type of keyboard 20 having the usual pivoted keys 21 and base22 is fixed on the frame board 11. As clearly shown in the drawings thekeys 21 extend from the front of the instrument to the rear thereof andI here show three octaves of individual keys. These keys pass beneaththe 'bar 16 and string 18 while the striker arms 25 are pivotally hungas hereinafter described from another longitudinal supporting bar 26,said striker arms extending crosswise of the instrument from the backside Where they are connected to the keys toward the front side to aposition above the string 18 where a striker hammer 28 connected to eachstriker arm 25 is in position to strike the wire 18 and simultaneouslyform a fret therefor.

Adjacent the right side of the support, as indicated in Figure I, is anelectric pick up device 30 adapted to be connected to a suitableamplifier not shown. The electromagnetic pick up 30 is carried by theone of the righthand bracket member14 so that the field of saidelectromagnet is in the path of vibration of the metallic wire 18 whenthe latter is vibrated. Adjacent the other, end of said string 18 andcarried by said stretch bar 16 is a damping device 31 preferablyincluding a pair of sponge rubber blocks arranged to surround the wire18 as shown in Figure XI, being held in contact therewith so that thedamping means 31 practically receives the wire 18 embedded therein. Aclip 32 forms a convenient means for holding the sponge rubber pads 31to the bar 16 and this damping means may be adjusted longitudinally ofthe string or wire 18. In the present invention, as stated supra, I thusprovide by the means described a combined fret and striking elementwhereby the correct musical notes may be reproduced from the vibrationof said wire 18 through said pick up 30 and suitably amplified. As shownin Figure VI, it will be noted that I provide a certain curvedtransverse configuration to the face 33 of the striker hammer element 28so that when the front end of the key 21 is depressed this surface 33will actually contact the string 18 so as to make a sharp clear impactwith the string rather than with a sliding or rolling contact therewith.As shown in Figure III, this face 33 is also inclined downwardly towardthe front end of the hammer28 instead of being horizontal. When thestriker arm 25 swings around its pivot 34 the surface 33 will thereforecome into a right angle contact with string 18.

An important feature of the present invention includes in the particularangularity of the striker arms 25 compared with thenormal position foreach of the several keys 21 illustrated in Figure I. I use a standardkeyboard 20 with the keys 21, whereas the striking hammer 28 string 18according to the chromatic scale so that with the--singlestring 18 Iainable'to play three octaves of i This-bar 26- is-provided with anextending center slot.

36- as indicated in Figure IV' and the individual striker arms 2'5 aresupported from said bar 26. by adjustable inverted U-shaped saddlemembers 37 to which are pivoted as at 34 the striker arms 25. Eachsaddle 37 is lined with felt and has an upwardly extending screwthreaded pin'38 which is adapted to pass through the slot 36 in thesupporting bar 26. By suitable nuts 39 each of the saddles 37 can beanchored at any required particular position. As stated supra, thesesaddles 37 are properly spaced longitudinally along the supporting bar-26'whereby the striking arms or elements are spaced along string 18according to the chromatic scale so that when the keys are depressed,the striking hammers 28will actually contact the string 18 at exactlythe correct point to give the correct note.

The manner in which thestriker arms 25, on the one hand are individuallyconnected with keys 21 on theother hand is also illustrated in FigureIII and in this particular embodiment of my invention I provide a loosepivotal connection between these two elements which are arranged so thatthe striker arm 25 may be swung at any particular angle necessarywhereas the keys 21--using a standard keyboard-are located atsubstantially right angles to the string 18. One satisfactory connectionbetween arms 25 and keys 21 of this type includes a verticallypositioned tube or barrel 40, preferably of wood, which isconnected'tothe rear end of an individual key 21' by an upwardly extended pivotalbearing unit 41, whereas at the upper end, the rear end of each of thestriker arms 25 also is provided with a pivotal connection between thestriker arm 25, and said barrel 40 as indicated at 42. The specificmanner in which I have connected the pivotal member 42 of the strikingarm 25 is shown in Figure V where it will be seen that this pivot 42includes the cutaway cylindrical member 44 so that the same may be slidback and forth on the rear end of the arm 25. The member 44 has at thelower end a downwardly extending small portion or pin 45 adapted toextend into the barrel 40. The entire pivotal element may be slid alongon the rear portion of the striker arm 25'-and set in any particularposition required by set screw 46 which passes down through the centerof'the 50 and carrying a plurality of small leather washers 53 betweensaid head and the lower, end of the barrel 40. I also provide a roundedcircumferential edge to the bottom of the barrel 40 as shown at 55.Atthe upper end of the barrel 40, I also provided a similar curved orrounded end to the circumferential periphery andv also employ somewashers 56 and 57 between the lower end of the pivotalmember 42 and thetop of the barrel 40.

I also provide spring means to return the keys, and,

striker mechanism immediately to normal position after akey has beenstruck. To this end I provide as shown in Figure III a spring 60 foreach key and striker'connection and a longitudinal wire 61 extendingentirely the th o h nstr ment m on t h o h r so.

Y 4 that each of these individual springs 60 may be anchored thereto.Moreoven as I desire. to slide these springs, 60 longitudinally on thewire 61, it will be noted that 1 connect the coil spring 60 to thewireby means of a loop in the end of the spring. The upper end of the spring68 is connected by an elongated hooked rod 62 having a screw threadedupper end 63 which may be connected to the upper pivoted mechanism 42-by means of a traversely extended arm 64 having an opening therethroughfor receiving the upper screw threaded end 63 of the rod 62 and by useof'a small nut 65, the tension of the spring 60 may be adjusted. It isnoted that the transverse small plate 64 is connected to the upper end44 of the pivotal element 42 by use of the screw 46 which also forms themeans for adjusting the pivotal member 42 as stated supra, since Iprovide a nut 66 for this purpose.

In order to properly tension the string or wire 18, I employ a standardtype of tuning device 70 shown in Figure I. The other end of the stringor wire 18 is conbeing positioned between said bracket and the pivotalrod by-being fixed thereto, by any suitable means. The spring isarranged so that it is always under compression, both thestring 18 andthe spring 77 being on the same side of the pivot point78 of the rod 75,whereby the spring 77 overcomes the pull of the string 18, balancing thepivotal rod 75.

Thus, I obtain avibrato effect by slightly lengthening and-shorteningthe string 18 and to this end the end of the pivot rod75 is connectedwith an eccentric pulley 80. One satisfactory. arrangement for effectingthis vibrato consists of a plate 81 extending underneath the rod 75, therod 75 being flattened where it is attached, as indicated at 82 to theplate 81, so that the plate may be adjusted longitudinally of the rod75, the plate 81 carryinga fixed pivot 84 extending upwardly from theplate asshown in Figure X. To form the eccentric'mounting for the pulley80, thispulley is provided with a central bore 85 off-center asindicated in Figure IX' by the amount ofeccentricity desired, Theeccentrically mounted pulley is driven by a small belt 87 connectedwitha wheel 88 on a small electric motor 89 suitably mounted in fixedposition in the bottom of the framework 'of the instrument. As theelectric motor 89 is driven, the wheel 88 drives the eccentric pulley 80through the belt 87 and this in turn will swing the rod 75; abovefthevpivot point 78 through the medium of the bracket 81. I The result ofthis will be a slight extensiontand retraction of the string or wire 18which causes the vibrato effect.

The amplifier referred to hereinrnay be of the type such. as shown.inPatent 2,725,778 of" December 6, 1955, to. Cronwell.

From the foregoing, the operation of the instrument will: be understood,an. ordinary piano keyboard being used in my invention and thedepression of the keys as shown will cause the notes'to be reproduced onthe loud speaker, since the combinedstriker and. fret forming" hammers28 are positioned according to a chromatic scale for the part of thewire which includes the pick up device 30. while the dampers 31. at theother end mute out any vibrations of that portion of the wire. As-lon-gas the motor 89' operates, a vibrato effect is produced and if it isdesired to play the instrument without the vibrato effect, a suitableswitch in the electric motor circuit may be opened.

It is; apparent that within the scope of the invention, modificationsand" different arrangements may be madeother than herein disclosed, andthe present disclosure is illustrative merely, the inventioncomprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a musical instrument, with a vibratory single metal string; aframe; spaced supports on said frame between which said string isstretched; electro-magnetic pick up means carried by said frame adjacentone of said supports; an amplifier adapted to be actuated by said pickup; a plurality of operable keys pivotly carried by said frame andextending from the front to the rear of said instrument; a plurality ofstrikers pivotly suspended by said frame adapted to be in position tocontact said string at spaced intervals according to the chromaticscale; a connecting linkage between the rear end of said keys and therear end of said strikers whereby upon depression of a key, the strikerswill contact and vibrate said string and damping means for contactingsaid string adjacent the other of said supports, said connecting linkagebetween a key and a striker including an upwardly extending pin fixedadjacent the rear of said key; a tube freely carried by said pin and apin connected to said strikers and extending into the other end of saidtube.

2. An electro mechanical musical instrument comprising a single steelstring and two solid non-resonant supports; means to stretch said stringbetween said supports; a plurality of octaves of keys positioned alongsaid string; a plurality of combined fret forming and string strikerelements positioned for operative connection to said keys and spaced toform various lengths according to a chr0- matic scale for said stringfrom one of said supports to the point of contact of a striker elementand said string; said striker elements having an inclined face arrangedso that each striker contacts the metal string at substantially rightangle thereto an electro-magnetic pick up positioned adjacent saidstring between the point of one of said striker elements engaging saidstring for forming the highest note and one of said string supports; anda damping means for said string adjacent the other of said supportsbetween said support and the lowest note produced.

3. A musical instrument including a metallic vibratory string and asuitable solid non-resonant support; said vibratory string secured tautto said support a plurality of manually operable keys transverselyarranged with respect to said string, each key having a string strikingelement for said string located adjacent and above said string, saidkeys spaced from said string and located adjacent each otherlongitudinally with respect to said string with said striking elementsspaced one from another longitudinally of said string according to amusical chromatic scale, each of said keys being pivotally mounted onsaid support, whereby when the key is depressed said striker is movedthrough an arc around said pivot, the striking element of said keyshaving a string contacting surface beveled at an angle when ininoperative position so as to strike said string substantially at rightangles when the key is depressed by the operator; and an electromagneticpick up located adjacent one end of said string and at that end of saidstring upon which said striking elements contact the same according tosaid chromatic scale.

4. A musical instrument including a metallic vibratory string and asuitable support said vibratory string secured taut to said support; aplurality of manually operable keys transversely arranged with respectto said string; pivoted striking arms each having a striking element onefor each correct note to be produced by said string, said striking armsand striking elements located adjacent and above said string, said keysspaced from said string and located adjacent each other longitudinallyof said string according to a musical chromatic scale, each of said keysbeing pivotally mounted below said string and extending horizontally andrearwardly thereof, links on said support for adjustably connecting saidkeys to said striking elements, whereby when the key is depressed saidstriker is moved through an are around said pivot, the striking elementof said keys having a string contacting surface beveled at an angle whenin inoperative position so as to strike said string substantially atright angles when the key is depressed by the operator; anelectro-magnetic pick up located adjacent one end of said string; and adamping means for said string adjacent the other of said supportsbetween said support and the lowest note produced.

5. An electro-mechanical musical instrument comprising a single steelstring and two solid non-resonant supports; means to stretch said stringbetween said supports; a plurality of octaves of keys positioned alongsaid string; a plurality of combined fret forming and string strikerelements positioned for operative connection to said keys and spaced toform various lengths according to a chromatic scale for said string fromone of said supports to the point of contact of a striker element andsaid string, said striker elements having an inclined face arranged sothat each striker contacts the metal string at substantially rightangles thereto and the transverse face of said inclined surface beingcurved convexly with respect to said string; an electro-magnetic pick uppositioned adjacent said string between the point of forming the highestnote and one of said string supports; and a damping means for saidstring adjacent the other of said supports between said support and thelowest note produced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS666,138 Halle Jan. 15, 1901 1,579,791 Sandell Apr. 6, 1926 1,750,572Cloetens Mar. 11, 1930 2,175,325 Sunshine Oct. 10, 1939 2,486,647 HarkerNov. 1, 1949 2,494,485 Notara Jan. 10, 1950 2,725,778 Cronwell Dec. 6,1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 339,690 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1930

